Saturday, July 5, 2014

(Mod: Matt Bryant is one of the main voices in the Coalition to Preserve Mater Dolorosa and Stop the Housing Project. His organizational abilities are outstanding, and he has helped many to effectively articulate their opposition to what would be a most unfortunate and destructive mistake at Mater Dolorosa. Like many in this community, Matt has sent an email to the City Councilmembers detailing the reasons for his opposition to any proposed unwanted development on that site. Here is what he Matt to say.)
Dear City Council Members:

First we want to thank you for serving on the City Council and making the effort to look out for what's best for Sierra Madre. We know its a difficult and sometimes thankless job and we appreciate the time you put into it.

As we all know, there is a water crisis, not just in Sierra Madre, but through-out California. From what I've read, it appears that the water crisis is only going to get worse. Because of that, there is no margin for error when you decide how to vote on the various solutions and protections.

Therefore, we would strongly urge you to freeze everything in place with both a Building and Water Moratorium. In addition, I would implement the Phase 3 but I would reduce the penalties to those commensurate with the Phase 1. I think people will have a difficult time incurring onerous penalties for yellow and unhealthy water.

I don't think you can go wrong by implementing what amounts to a complete freeze on all development activity. You can always release moratoriums at any time should the conditions on the ground change. However, you can go wrong, drastically wrong, if further development is allowed to continue because it only adds more stress to our water emergency which then becomes irreversible. A bad situation that is already difficult to solve only becomes that much worse for this City Council or a future City Council.

Mr. Inman was quite candid about the precariousness of our reliance on water from the MWD. Furthermore, we have no way of controlling whether the MWD customers are going to do a good job of conserving water. If they don't and the drought continues, we may lose the MWD connection entirely since we are not a customer of the MWD. I, for one, don't want to be dependent upon others for such a basic need as water.

We need to put Sierra Madre on a sustainable path so that we don't have to depend upon other entities and other people's usage for our very survival. Let's implement the Building and Water Moratoriums and the Phase 3. Then let's wait till the water consultant completes her findings, let's get the general plan approved, and let's gather up more information about all the further consequences if this drought continues. We can always re-visit the issue at a later time. It seems to me that is the prudent and responsible thing to do.

We need to look out for the best interest of the existing residents of Sierra Madre first and foremost - not the best interest of possible future residents and certainly not the best interest of out-of-town developers.

Please consider your stance on this position very carefully and do what's best for Sierra Madre. That's all we can ask of you.

Thank you.

Matthew and Mahvash Bryant(Mod: Here is the latest e-mail blast from the Coalition to Preserve Mater Dolorosa and Stop the Housing Project.)
Dear Supporters:

After careful consideration, the Steering Committee for the Coalition to Preserve Mater Dolorosa and Stop the Housing Project is taking the following position on the upcoming issues up for vote at the important City Council Meeting on July 8th:

1. We support implementation of Phase III Conservation with Phase I penalties for over-use.
2. We support an immediate Water Moratorium.
3. We support an immediate Building Moratorium.

Our reasoning is as follows:

The city currently does not have a reliable water source. The MWD has about a 2-year supply and can stop delivery at anytime. Sierra Madre is not a regular MWD customer and will be the first to have its water supply cut off should the MWD run into a problem with supplying its own customers if the drought continues.

It will take a minimum of five years until the East Raymond Basin Aquifer has been recharged with sufficient water to resume pumping.

Phase 3 water restrictions with Phase 1 penalties will stop new water connections as long as Phase 3 is in effect.

A Phase 3 alone will not stop building that already has a water source.

A water moratorium is necessary so that the aquifer can recharge to a level that can justify the additional impact of new construction.

A building moratorium is necessary to complete the General Plan Update and EIR.

A building moratorium will allow the city time to develop a plan that will guide new development based on our resources and infrastructure to insure that Sierra Madre follows a sustainable path.

A building moratorium will ensure that all new construction is in compliance with the General Plan Update. The GPU is the people’s vision for the future of Sierra Madre.

A building moratorium will halt building that has a water source.

All three are needed to insure that Sierra Madre can:

Replenish its own water supply.

Approve the proposed General Plan and EIR.

Place Sierra Madre on a sustainable path

Please email your City Council Members and attend the City Council Meeting on July 8th.

100 comments:

How can we have all this development, when the whole state is suffering from a drought. If we take action now, we can deal with this problem. Waiting to make the hard decisions only makes the problem worse.

I'm tired of outside interests ruining out City. One by one other cities are getting ruined. Sierra Madre is the last bastion of a lifestyle that only those who live in Sierra Madre can truly understand.

Hopefully, this City Council recognizes the severity of the problem and doesn't keep their heads in the sand. You can always lift the moratoriums if things improve. You won't ever be able to solve the problem if you allow further development to drain our water supplies even more.

Why should we save water so that developers have more water for themselves and their projects. That's why, if I'm going to save water, I want the building and water moratoriums in place so that everyone feels the pain.

The drought has now eclipsed the Mater Dolorosa issue. Its become a bigger concern than just that one project. What happens if we run out of water? What if the MWD 2-year supply runs out? These droughts can go in cycles that last hundreds of years. We live in a desert that was made inhabitable by securing water supplies from outside our state. What if that dries up, then where will wel all be? Why do we want to keep adding more water users to the already overextended system. It would be suicide.

Even if El Nino came, it wouldn't help much because you need a sustained rainfall for a prolonged period of time. And now it appears that even the El Nino may not materialize. Sierra Madre needs to rely on itself to get through this. That means its own wells that have always served the community for so many years.

Too bad the Bart Doyle City Council squandered all of that bond money on DSP related infrastructure than actually finding us new water supplies. Then we wouldn't have the golden showers Joe Mosca gave us.

Unlike some other issues that have divided this town, preservation Sierra Madre and placing it on a sustainable path are issues that all of us can unite around. Let's hear someone speak up about having Sierra Madre look like Arcadia or someone tell us that our water situation is not an emergency. I take it back. We did see one person speak up - that One Carter lawyer McDonald. I'd like to see one resident in Sierra Madre support his position. It won't happen because those who live in Sierra Madre must know that what we have here is special.

If you have never been involved before in the affairs of this community, now is the time to get involved. Tell someone you know to come to the meeting. If everyone did that, we will prevail. This issue is too important to stay on the sideline and let other people shoulder the burden.

dear City Council members, Severalof us are unable to attend the July 8 meeting but will be able to watch it n TV. we would like to make two simple requests; please make certain the amplification system is working properly and then, when you speak, please turn on your microphone and speak into it. thank you.

Better yet, come to the meeting or at least send an email right now. Nobody can tell how many people are watching at home. We need people present at the meeting. If you can speak, all the better. If you can do neither, send an email to the Council Members. At the very least do that. Passively watching on the TV is not going to be enough. If you need a ride, let someone know. Sending an email will be of immense help to the cause.

This is the most important vote that this City Council has had to make. Let's hope they do their homework and get it right. They simply can't make a mistake with a decision as important as this one is to every resident of Sierra Madre.

I would not want to be the City Council member who makes the wrong call on such an important issue. If they vote for the moratoriums, there may be a few developers upset. If they don't vote for the moratoriums and the water situation and drought gets worse, that City Council member will never recover from that decision. Every resident in Sierra Madre is affected and angry. They would have just signed their own recall papers.

It really is a great moment. Instead of the usual steady diet of nothing we get to listen to at City Council meetings, they actually have a huge decision to make. One that there is no easy way out of. The only dodge available to them is this Phase 3 thing. But people are way too smart for that.

That's right 10:06. Phase 3 by itself would be a political disaster for any City Council member who only votes for that. That's the One Carter lawyer's position. We all need to tighten our belts and conserve more water so that water is available for their housing project. Only a lawyer could spew that kind of garage. I would hope that our City Council Members are smarter than that.

The moratoriums should be implemented because it is the right thing to do. But even aside from that, the politically smart move for the Council Members is to vote with the residents and not with the developers and lawyers.

I will gladly help in any efforts to recall any Council Member who doesn't for the water and building moratoriums. It would be the ultimate sell-out. I voted for them so that could preserve Sierra Madre as they promised to do. No more going back on your campaign promises.

When you talk about recall, think about money and time that would take to do it, and have a candidate ready to take their places. You already have one petition going (repeal the UUT) which will take lots of energy to get signed. Why not focus on the immediate instead of empty threats.

It has gotten me to drastically cut my water consumption it was enough for me. But by the way I see wet lawns, muddy sidewalks, water flowing freely and wastefully at many homes obviously not enough for some.Conservation is not optional if you can afford it. It is mandated by the voters.You must comply or you are breaking the law and will be punished under P3.

Conservation only became an issue again because the residents are asking for a building moratorium. This is a wedge issue cooked up by the 3 Dudes to blunt a protest against their destructive development money grab. Don't fall for it.

Yes, but you also have a reading comprehension problem. The water conservation issue took on its current renewed focus only after the call for a building moratorium became as load as it has. The 3 Dudes are engaging in a level of cynicism ghis town hasn't seen in a few years. It is all predicated on money, of course. That is all they are really concerned about.

The unions tell Mayor Johnny to jump, and all he can say is "How high?" If the McMansion developments don't go through there won't be enough money for those Cadillac health care plans City Hall gave away. Which means Johnny can kiss his political ambitions bye bye. That's how it rolls in LA County. Earn or burn.

Mayor Johnny goes nowhere if he alienates the residents of Sierra Madre. He must have the support of the vast majority of residents of Sierra Madre to have a successful political career. Looking out for the public employee unions, developers and other special interests would be political suicide.

Mater Dolorosa and their developer are now in full "divide and conquer" mode. They are trying to meet with small groups of neighbors and influencial people in this community and buy them off one by one. This is a standard strategy of developers. Don't fall for it! We must maintain a united front. Mater Dolorosa already sold their souls for their "30 pieces of silver". Let them have that on their conscience. Don't sell your own soul also.

You are going to see a PR campaign by Mater Dolorosa and its developers the likes of which haven't been seen before. We must see through it for what it is. Don't be fooled and don't let yourself be manipulated by them. They have meetings every day to figure out the best way to defeat the opposition. They were warned about the water problem too and they have gone forward any way. All they care about is how to get what they want and how to get their money. They don't care if Sierra Madre's water woes get worse, or if we have to pay higher rates for yellow water or whether we run out of water entirely. They just hope it happens after they have sold off their McMansions.

These developers literally do research to find areas of land in different communities that no one has wanted to see get developed. They use their lawyers, PR people and others to cram these projects down the throats of the residents and then move on the next project. They make money off the backs of the people by ruining cities. Obviously not all developers but most of them. Their motivation is their bottom line and nothing else.

All I know is that the drought is more likely to continue which is only going to make things worse. We are wrestling with a severe problem now and trying to come up with good solutions. Imagine if we could fast forward ten years after all these housing projects are in place. Because the water consumption will now be so much higher, you severely limit your options for a solution. Everything becomes much more difficult. I hope that Bruce Inman is adamant about the need to take some drastic steps now. We can't wait until things get so bad there may not even be a viable solution.

There are too many things in flux right now for the City Council not to freeze everything as Matt Bryant says, You have the drought, you have the hiring of the water consultant and wait for her findings, you have the General Plan in play, you have the MWD that seems to be facing its own challenges. Too much. We need to wait and gather up the facts before all these housing projects and McMansions continue forward. Its irresponsible and bordering on dangerous. We can't live without water. Our community can't survive without water. Let's figure this out first.

A moratorium can be rescinded at any time if such a decision is warranted by the facts. What can't be rescinded is a building boom that adds additional stress to our water infrastructure and all of our other infrastructures. Our goal should be to be sustainable community relying only upon ourselves. That means controlled growth that is compatible with our ability to provide adequate services to our residents now and in the future.

It is estimated that if Sierra Madre runs out of water in two years property values here could drop by as much as 50%. This is not an issue the City Council should be playing development politics with.

If we don't have access to a reliable source of water, Sierra Madre values drop and significantly. If we have yellow water, values drop. If we have to pay exorbitant rates for our water, values also drop. Since all City Hall cares about is the money and not our quality of life, maybe they will understand the ramifications of that argument.

We can only hope and pray that the City Council will make the right decsion on July 8th and not think about their own ambitions or which special interests got them elected. They need to put all that aside and do what's in the best interest of Sierra Madre residents.

Two things when you are writing to city council members. Don't cut and paste Matt's arguments but instead say what you think in your own words. City often gets form emails that say somewhere in the body "insert name here" but the writer fails to individualize. Those emails are read, but little credence is put on them. Second, don't attack council members, staff or the City. You will not do any good by mentioning high pension costs, high health care packages, "greedy city only wanting tax monies", "greedy developers", etc. Council members want lucid, valid arguments on an issue. Matt makes them. Use his facts to write your own email. signed, not a Sierra Madre council person, but one who has received those types of letters.

Earl Richey, one of the proponents of the UUT repeal is a developer. Why do you think he wants to repeal the UUT? If there is no UUT revenue then the City of Sierra Madre is more dependent on development fees.

FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS - WHERE HAS ALL THE WATER & SEWER MONIES GONE - WHICH THE CITY RESIDENTS HAVE PAID CITY HALL FOR WATER & SEWER SERVICES???

THATS A BUNCH OF RUBBUSH! MR RICHEY IS A REAL ESTATE BROKER AND CONDUCTS HIS EFFORTS OUTSIDE THIS CITY! Mr Richey is in the same sinking boat that the residents of Sierra Madre are in... the city needs to take care of business and quit miss appropriating and commingling city monies!!!

Lets get real! City Hall has miss managed the residents monies for years! Our city manager, Jim Mc Cray got caught with his pants down and was fired? Elaine is doing the same thing. Why is this found to be acceptable? Why has the city council failed to fire her and the others found to be responsible?

Elaine billed the Mt Wilson Trail Race and the Race Director paid the city for over 200 hours of staff time for pre event planning

if that doesn't reek of fraud, imaginative accounting and public mistrust nothing will save this city

I'd like to hear the race director and the city manager explain how it takes over 200 hours of city staff time to "pre event plan" the race that is the same every year

I think this issue is something that if not explained the city manager could be fired and lose her pension over cause it's fraud - not a simple mistake of "oh we meant to bill for 20 hours not 200" cause the Trail Race paid the city for it

Our city government agendized mandatory water conservation, a water hook-up moratorium and a building moratorium for a public hearing and action in three days. Mater Dolorosa hasn't been approved. Carter One hasn't been approved. Stonehouse hasn't been approved. Why don't you stop bearing false witness and accusing them of treason until you have an actual reason to do so? The fact is many of you should just shut up because your obnoxious lying behavior and threats alienate most people.

11:38. You are mistaken. Carter 1 was entitled nearly 10 years ago. All infrastructure, including water to the lots, are there. Each indvidual buyer of a lot will need to go through an approval process in order to actually build. I have to think you are new to town, or just don't research the facts before you pop off. In my opinion, it would be irresponsible for the residents of this town to try to deny the owners of Carter 1 the opportunity to build according to our zoning standards and settlement agreement. If the taxpayers of this town think we are over taxed now, we will be in a lot worse shape financially if we are sued by the owners of Carter 1. Please....no angry retorts. These lawsuits on Carter and Stonehouse cost we the taxpayers over a million dollars. It would be best to focus on the monestary and Stonehouse.

12:37 - while I can agree that fewer lots at Carter 1 would have been preferable, I don't think it is fair to call the councilmembers at that time "sell outs." There is a little something reasonable folks believe in. And that is private property rights. The land is zoned residential and the owner has every right to develop their property. Irrational comments rarely helps our cause.

There is something that those supporting "our cause" believe in. And that is the people who belong to a community have the right to determine how that community is to be planned and eventually look. Just like they have the right to determine how much in taxes they might want to pay. That is "our" cause. You seem to be advocating a kind of surrender based on some nebulous notion about private property. That is not how it has ever worked in Sierra Madre. I believe you are misrepresenting yourself here.

Dear 1:25, Here's something else reasonable folks believe in: Governments derive their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed. The 2004 Council did not have the consent of the people to do what they did. And they knew it. One Carter was a betrayal and a sellout and a key reason why residents of Sierra Madre don't trust their city government. As for private property rights, your right to swing your arms ends where another person's nose begins. Nobody has the right to develop at One Carter, or anywhere else, when such development endangers the safety, security, and well-being of the residents of the town.

Maryann MacGillivray said it very well: 'our resources cannot support additional development.' It's really very simple. And rational.

How Elaine and Bruce orchestrated the crisis. First shut down the wells because they were not drilled deeper. Next stop the diversions of rain and spring water from the drainage canal into our settling ponds. Get the MWD out of the wings and into our water opportunities. And lastly start a scare campaign unless developers are allow free access to do what they do. (It is probably in a "Cty Managers Handbook For Success"). They are a savy and secretive group, just like the POA and other organized tax payer dependent groups. Fines and voodo are in the works to shake you down.

Be tough, be smart, and speak out.......as Sierra Madre Homeowners you have more at stake than you can possibly imagine.

Please don't write nonsense. Elaine and Bruce did not orchestrate the crisis. If you think they have that much power, think again. Bruce has no control on how much it rains, nor does Elaine have a scare campaign. She is not that smart.

There is a wonderful tongue-in-cheek article in the Wall Street Journal today entitled "Weapons of Mass Construction" by Joe Queenan. In it he writes that a "McMansion the size of the Louvre is going up directly across the street from my house. Nine other monstrosities are also being deployed in what was a beautiful, empty meadow." He wishes that the economy is not dependent on the health of home builders. ". . .they are bulldozing whatever stands in their way and throwing up their eyesores. Throwing up being the operative term."

That is how I feel about the Mater Dolorosa project . . . a beautiful empty meadow being turned into a 49 house tract. Enough to make you want to throw up.

3:26 Elain & Bruce may not control the rain, but they do have control over drilling our wells deeper, control over the settling pond system that was allowed to deteriorate and most of all the shady colaberation with developers. You don't seem to get it.

Has anyone stopped to think about how much money the city is going to make on the new water bills? For residents who live west of Baldwin, their meters will be read tomorrow. The number of units printed on their bills will reflect their usage from May 13 to July 8. They will have consumed water (at the new rate) for only eight days. But they will be charged the new rate for the ENTIRE billing period!

In the comments above I see a lot of blame game, which is counter productive, and not much recognition that over the long term the leadership (not sure whether political or emanating from the the city planning officer) has done a fairly good job of providing pay as you go upgrades on the water infrastructure of Sierra Madre. Our current crisis results from our having a basic source that supplies about 2/5 of our needs and so we have to make up the difference with imported water which is about 20% more costly. Imported sources seem to be unreliable in the future so we are left with Pay more, find more, or use less. The most attractive option is to use less because it costs less but this option has hardly been explored by the above commentators and the options given us by the city. The following three options would save a great deal of water and at relatively little cost. 1. Install gray water systems on all residences (probably not practical for businesses). Install storage units and capture roof runoff for reuse when needed. 3. Replant lawns with ice plant, sage, lavender or other drought-resistent plants. This could be accomplished by a small use tax to set up a subsidy plan for residents who convert to a more water friendly facility. One other thing could be done that would help the supply situation is to contract with the forest service to have prescribed burns in the drainage basins above Sierra Madre. This would rejuvenate those streams because it would diminish the transpiration rate in those areas. This is common knowledge among the ranchers of northern Coast Ranges - that when there is a fire in the mountains, the streams flow longer and deeper afterwards.One size fits all ban on new hook ups gives the managers no flexibility. Certainly, large new hooks-ups will exacerbate the problem but individual permits will not be a significant problem.

What's Best for Junior?

10% UUT

Dude

Pasa-Madre?

You Can Compare Sierra Madre's Utility Tax Rates

The MuniServices.com site has a feature that allows you to compare Sierra Madre's utility tax rates with those of other cities. This nifty little service lets you see not only just how high our utility tax rates are, but that they are also the highest in California. Click here and have at it.

Preserve Sierra Madre Yard Signs Now Available

(Click on graphic above to connect.)

Wear one for Chris Holden!

The Process

Tattler Advertising Rates

From time to time people get in touch with me hoping to place an ad on The Tattler. Until now I have gently explained that no advertising is accepted here because it would detract from the volunteer nature of the project. However, I have now reconsidered, and this blog will take advertising, but only at what I call a "motivated monthly rate." Here is that rate schedule:

2" x 4" ---- $500

2" x 6" ---- $1,000

2" x 8" ---- $1,500

Banner ---- $2,500

If these rates seem reasonable to you, then please contact us at sierramadretattler@gmail.com Thanks!

Now On Neuroblast

Loading...

Neuroblast Films

If you're interested in Sierra Madre politics (and if you're reading The Tattler chances are pretty good that you are), you owe it to yourself to check out the Neuroblast Films site on You Tube. It features some key filmed moments from recent Sierra Madre history, all from the perspective of those who love the place. Be sure to rate the films and leave comments. Click on "videos" to see the entire inventory, there is a lot available. Another fine website for you to enjoy!http://www.youtube.com/neuroblastfilms

The Tattler Supports Radio Free Americana

Here is how they describe it: "Free-form, commercial-free music at 128 kbps CD-quality, featuring new and classic releases of Americana, Alt. Country, Indie/College Rock, Power Pop, Blues, Folk, Outsider, and other forms of mostly twang-infested, alternative music. From pure pop for now people to pure slop for cow people; from three chords and the truth to two chords and a sack of lies; non-discriminating free-form radio for the discriminating listener. Because, what's not to like about power pop with steel guitars?"

Welcome To Budget Town

California Jobs of the Day

Elizabeth Wistar Comix

MVN Columnist Rich Johnson Speaks Out On the Importance of the Sierra Madre Tattler

"My last submission supported the blog in that it provides another viewpoint on issues of interest to Sierra Madreans. If it is right or wrong is immaterial. If it gets you involved in the process of being a citizen it is important."

(6/18/11)

Please remember that when posting on The Tattler:

Quotes On Government

"During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act." - George Orwell

"What we call civilized society is in reality a vast insane asylum held together at the points of guns." - Vito Caporale

"In our civilization, and under our form of government, intelligence is so highly honored that it is rewarded by exemption from the cares of office." - Ambrose Bierce

"It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them." - Mark Twain

"I would rather lose in a cause that will someday win, than win in a cause that will someday lose." - Woodrow Wilson

"The single most exciting thing you encounter in government is competence, because it's so rare." - Daniel P. Moynihan

"There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole government working for you." - Will Rogers

"My experience in government is that when things are non-controversial and beautifully coordinated, there is not much going on." - John F. Kennedy

"Ask not what the government can do for you. Ask why it doesn't. - Gerhard Kocher

"The best minds in government? If any were, business would hire them away." - Ronald Reagan

"Government is not the doctor. It is the disease." - H.S. Ferns

"A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against his government." - Edward Abbey

"Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under." - Henry Luis Mencken

"The best argument against democracy is a five minute conversation with the average voter." - Winston Churchill

"The most important political office is that of private citizen." - Louis Brandeis

"Democracy consists of choosing your dictators, after they've told you what it is you think you want to hear." - Alan Coren

"You don't pay taxes - they take taxes." - Chris Rock

Readings

"Take stock of those around you and you will ... hear them talk in precise terms about themselves and their surroundings, which would seem to point to them having ideas on the matter. But start to analyse those ideas and you will find that they hardly reflect in any way the reality to which they appear to refer, and if you go deeper you will discover that there is not even an attempt to adjust the ideas to this reality. Quite the contrary: through these notions the individual is trying to cut off any personal vision of reality, of his own very life. For life is at the start a chaos in which one is lost. The individual suspects this, but he is frightened at finding himself face to face with this terrible reality, and tries to cover it over with a curtain of fantasy, where everything is clear. It does not worry him that his 'ideas' are not true, he uses them as trenches for the defense of his existence, as scarecrows to frighten away reality." - Jose Ortega y Gasset

"Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced." - Soren Kierkegaard

Downtown Investors Club

Do the unexpected

The View Here

Follow by Email

Fools

If you didn't like what you've seen here, click on the 'X' for some important information.